


One Day We'll Save The World

by Baroness_Blixen



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mulder doesn't leave, Post-Episode: s08e21 Existence, nothing bad happens in this fic, there's only love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:07:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29541426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baroness_Blixen/pseuds/Baroness_Blixen
Summary: Mulder is so entranced by his newborn son that he can't sleep.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 15
Kudos: 97





	One Day We'll Save The World

He doesn’t even want to blink, afraid he’ll miss something. His eyes are trained on this perfect tiny human being with ten toes, ten fingers, and a tuft of sweet, soft hair on his head.

His son.

Mulder has never felt this calm, this content, in his whole life. It’s as if his son’s birth has made him a new man, too. In many ways, he is. He is a father now. The thought of becoming a parent never even crossed his mind. Not until Scully asked him to be her sperm donor.

From then on, the thought took root in his mind, grew. By the time Scully had her first injections, Mulder couldn’t stop thinking about it. He bought - and read - all the books. He found himself in the park, after a run, watching parents with their children, feeling a tug in his gut. One day, he thought, this could be him.

His fantasy baby crib and alien action toys vanished into thin air with Scully’s negative pregnancy tests. After, he no longer went to the park for his runs, chose quieter neighborhoods, stopped paying attention. The books gathered dust, disappeared under magazines. And then, much like their shared dream, Mulder died.

“You’re a miracle,” he whispers, smiling at William. “Your mom prayed for you. For me, too. Your mom is good at making things happen.”

“Oh, am I?” Scully, her voice drowsy but amused, joins him, sliding her arm around his waist. She is heavy against him, warm and soft. He holds her close to him and kisses her temple. She smells like sleep, like love.

“You know you are,” he says against her temple.

“He’s perfect, isn’t he?” She says with a sigh.

“Of course, he is,” Mulder says, for once tearing his eyes away from his sleeping son to look at her. “He’s your son.”

“Mulder.”

“I never want to leave,” he says, surprising them both.

Scully turns to him. “You don’t have to. There’s… enough space here.”

“What about my fish?”

“I think we could even fit in your fish.”

His heart beats faster as he looks at her. Are they ready for this? They’ve never been a conventional couple. Mulder doubts they ever will be. They’ve more or less lived together on the road, sharing long car rides together, meals in dingy diners, and sometimes even a hotel room. They can do this. There’s nothing they can’t do. Their son is proof of that. The corners of his mouth twitch. He doesn’t know if he’s ready, or if this will work, but he knows he wants to be here. His apartment hasn’t felt like home in months. This is where he’s supposed to be.

“I’m gonna ask the fish if they’re okay with moving. Can’t make that decision without them.”

“No,” Scully says, smiling gently. “You can’t.”

“You should be sleeping, Scully. The book says you should be sleeping when he is. Did I wake you?”

“You didn’t. I- I know this sounds crazy, but I missed him.”

“Crazy looks good on you.” He chuckles softly, squeezing her side. “But you should try to get some sleep.”

“What about you?” She asks, stifling a yawn. Mulder looks at their son, at his small hand balled into a fist as if ready to fight. He is a fighter. Like his mother, like his father, too. And Mulder is going to fight every day, every waking moment, for William to have a good life. A safe life.

“Mulder, I can hear you thinking,” Scully says, taking his hand. “We can save the world tomorrow.”

“I think it’s already tomorrow.”

“Then later today. Come on. You said I need to sleep, but so do you.” She tugs at his hand and drags him over to the bed. He glances over at the crib; William is unbothered, continues to sleep. Trusting them to keep him safe.

Scully pushes at him until he’s flat on his back. She snuggles into his side, putting her hand on his chest, right over his heart. Without her, it wouldn’t be beating. Without her, he wouldn’t be here.

“I love you, Scully.”

“Love you, too.” She’s already falling asleep again. And Mulder, he’s falling deeper in love with her. Who knew that was even possible?

“You and William,” he whispers into his hair, hoping she’ll have sweet dreams, “you’re my whole world. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Nothing else matters.”

“M’ller,” Scully mumbles. “Close your eyes, please.”

“How do you know my eyes aren’t closed?”

“Your mouth is still moving.”

“But my eyes are closed, I promise.”

“Mulder, I mean this in the nicest way possible but… shut up.”

He grins into the darkness. He stays quiet, waits until her breathing evens out. He’ll sleep later. There’s time. There’s so much time for them, now.


End file.
